Evaluation of bacteriological quality of beef carcasses in meat processing plant
Loading...
Files
Date
2003
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Department of Veterinary Public Health, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy
Abstract
During the present study, 40 beef carcasses were randomly selected from
a meat processing plant located at Kochi in Kerala. The plant procures beef
carcasses from two slaughtering units, viz., Source A and B, located in Tamil
Nadu. From each carcass surface 500-cm2 area was swabbed which consisted of
100 cm2 each from neck, brisket, loin, flank and outer round. The samples from
each carcass were examined for the bacterial quality by estimating the total viable
count (TVC), coliforms count (CC), Escherichia coli count (ECC) and faecal
streptococcal count (FSC). All samples were also subjected to the isolation and
identification of Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella and
Listeria monocytogenes. The samples of air, water, equipment and hand wash of
personnel were also collected and estimated the various bacterial loads of these
samples.
Analysis of variance test of the data did not reveal significant difference
between the mean total viable count of the samples from two sources. The
samples had an overall mean total viable count of 7.40 ± 0.17 10glO cfu/cm/. The
mean count of samples from source B was slightly higher than that from source
A. The count of the samples belonging to source A ranged from 106 to 109
cfu/cm2 while the count of the samples from source B varied between 106 and 108
cfu/cm/. Of the 40 carcass samples examined, 45 per cent had count at the level
of 106 cfu/crrr', The counts in 30 per cent and 22.5 per cent were at the level of
108 cfulcm2 and 107 cfu/cnr', resp~ctively.
Analysis of variance' test of the data revealed a significant (P<0.05)
difference between the mean coliforms count of the samples from the two
sources. The samples from source A had a higher mean count. The overall mean
coliforms count of the samples was 3.41 ± 0.13 10glO cfu/cm". The count of the
samples from both the sources varied from 102 to 104 cfu/cm/. The count in 21
(52.5 per cent) carcass samples was at the level of 103 cfu/crn", In 17.5 per cent
carcasses the count was at the level of 104 cfu/crrr' and in 30 per cent carcass
samples the count was at the level of 102 cfu/crrr'.
Analysis of variance test of the Escherichia coli count revealed a
significant (P<0.05) difference between the mean count of samples from the two
sources. The samples belonging to source A had a higher mean count. The
overall mean Escherichia coli count of the samples was 1.83 ± 0.22 10glO
cfu/crrr'. The Escherichia coli count of the samples from both the sources varied
from 101 to 103 cfu/cm2. The count in 16 (40 per cent) of carcass samples was at
the level of 102 cfu/cm", In 17.5 per cent samples each had count at the levels of
101 and 103 cfu/cm",
Analysis of variance test of the faecal streptococcal count revealed
significant (P<0.05) difference between the mean counts of samples from the two
sources. Source A had higher mean count. The overall mean count of samples
was 3.27 ± 0.10 10glO cfu/cm". The count on the carcasses from the source A
ranged between 102 to 104 cfu/crrr' whereas the count on the carcasses belonging
to source B varied between 102 to 103 cfu/crrr'. Out of 40 carcasses, 18 (45 per
cent) had count at the level of 103 cfu/crrr'. The counts on 40 and 15 per cent of
the carcasses were at the levels of 102 to 104 cfu/cm/, respectively.
A significant (P<0.05) positive correlation was observed between the
mean CC and FSC of the carcasses belonging to source A. The association
between the mean TVC and FSC in source B was significant (P<0.05).
Escherichia coli was isolated from 10 carcasses belonging to source A
and 5 carcasses from source B. Out of the 15 isolates, 14 were serotyped and
were grouped under nine serotypes and one isolate was untypeable. The serotype
0157 was isolated from two of the carcass samples belonging to source A. Four
isolates from this source belonged to serotype 036. The serotypes 036, 0156,
0157 and 0172 were isolated only from the samples obtained from the source A.
The serotype 08 was isolated from both the sources. However, the serotypes
013,065,069 and 075 were isolated only from samples of source B.
Staphylococcus aureus was isolated from two (5 per cent) carcasses
belonging to source A and one (2.5 per cent) of the carcasses belonging to the
source B.
Of-the 40 carcass samples tested, salmonellae were isolated from one
sample each from the source A and B.
Listeria monocytogenes could not be isolated from any of the samples
belonging to both the sources.
The mean total viable counts on meat-cutting board and meat-cutting
table were 4.94 ± 0.87 and 4.28 ± 0.87 10glO cfu/cm/, respectively. The mean
coliforms count on the former was 1.24 ± 0.94 10glO cfu/crrr' and the latter was at
the level of 1.26 ± 0.83 10glO cfu/crrr'. The mean faecal streptococcal count was
at the level of 1.38 and 1.29 10glO cfulcm2 on meat cutting board and meat cutting
table, respectively.
Ice samples had a mean total viable count of 3.20 ± 0.11 10glO cfu/ml.
The coli forms count in ice, pond, and tap water were 2.30 ± 0.08, 1.39 ± 0.77 and
0.50 ± 0.21 10glO cfu/ml, respectively.
The mean total viable count, coliforms count, Escherichia coli count and
faecal streptococcal count observed per ml of the hand wash of the personnel
engaged in various operations were 4.96 ± 0.82, 1.26 ± 0.78, 0.80 ± 0.24 and 1.48
± 0.77 IOglO cfu/ml, respectively.
The mean bacterial load in the air samples of slaughter hall and chilling
room obtained in the present study was 100.7 ± 8.17 and 8.75 ± 1.19 cfu/min,
respectively.
Description
PG
Keywords
null